Daily news summaries

Catch up with RBA's daily birdnews summaries. Browse ten days at a time, or choose a date to read summaries from that day backwards.

Daily summaries are available from 13 April 2006. For earlier weekly reviews, visit our articles.

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Thursday 6th March 2008  
  The Shetland Killdeer last seen on 4th November 2007 reappeared at Virkie this evening with a flock of Ringed Plovers. Rarity highlights around the rest of the country included the White-crowned Sparrow in Norfolk (which has recently been more erratic in its appearances), Red-breasted Geese in Hampshire/West Sussex and Cumbria, King Eider in Devon, Lesser Yellowlegs in Angus, Spotted Sandpiper in Glamorgan, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Cleveland and Glossy Ibis in Lincolnshire.

A Little Bunting was at Porth Farm National Trust, Cornwall (for at least its second day), and the same county also hosted a Hoopoe. Other scarcities included Pallas's Warbler in Dorset, Rose-coloured Starling in Pembrokeshire and a couple of Yellow-browed Warblers in Devon.

Irish highlights consisted of a Black Duck in Co Kerry and the usual selection of white-winged gulls.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Wednesday 5th March 2008  
  The Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire has moved location, being seen at Brandon Marsh Nature Reserve today. Other notable news today concerned a belated report of a Snowy Owl, photographed on 16th February in Moray.

The long staying White-crowned Sparrow was reported again, with other rarities including the King Eider again in Devon, two American Herring Gulls still at Nimmo's Pier, County Galway with the Forster's Tern still nearby, Glossy Ibises in Lincolnshire and Lancashire, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, Ross's Goose in Norfolk and still good numbers of Cattle Egrets.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Tuesday 4th March 2008  
  Lingering rarities confirmed as still present today in Britain included both the White-crowned Sparrow and Ross's Goose in Norfolk, Wilson's Snipe on the Isles of Scilly, Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler in Cornwall, Glossy Ibis in Lincolnshire, Red-breasted Goose in West Sussex, Great White Egret in Cambridgeshire and single Lesser Scaups in both Dumfries and Galloway and Warwickshire.

In Ireland both the Barrow's Goldeneye and Forster's Tern remained in County Down as did the American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Cork, Ferruginous Duck in County Armagh and both American Herring Gull and Forster's Tern still together in County Galway.

Cattle Egret reports comprised fifteen in Cornwall, two in Devon and singles in both Cheshire and Glamorgan.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Monday 3rd March 2008  
  In Britain lingering rarities confirmed as still present today comprised the White-crowned Sparrow and Ross's Goose in Norfolk, Wilson's Snipe on the Isles of Scilly, Glossy Ibis in Lincolnshire, Ross's Goose in Cumbria, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, Great White Egret in Cambridgeshire, Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in both Cleveland and Cornwall and the Red-breasted Goose between Hampshire and West Sussex.

In Ireland both the American Buff-bellied Pipit and Lesser Yellowlegs remained in County Cork as did an American Herring Gull in County Galway and a Richardson's Canada Goose in County Sligo. In County Down the Barrow's Goldeneye, Forster's Tern and Lesser Scaup were all seen again.

Cattle Egret reports concerned fifteen in Cornwall, two each in both Devon and West Sussex with singles in Cheshire, Dorset and Glamorgan.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Sunday 2nd March 2008  
  Highlights included the White-crowned Sparrow in Norfolk, King Eider in Devon, Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Cleveland and Cornwall, Wilson's Snipe on Isles of Scilly, White-billed Diver off the Western Isles and Glossy Ibises in Lincolnshire and Lancashire.

A drake Lesser Scaup appeared at Torr Reservoir, Somerset and was more than likely the bird previously at Stourhead NT.

In Ireland American Buff-bellied Pipit, two adult Forster's Terns and two Lesser Scaups were available.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Saturday 1st March 2008  
  The Lesser Yellowlegs in Angus was seen again today, in its usual area at Montrose Basin. The Spotted Sandpiper remained nearby in Forth, with another still at Lisvane Reservoir, Glamorgan.

The White-crowned Sparrow was still at Cley, Norfolk, whilst the three wintering Shorelarks reappeared at Cley NWT. One Ross's Goose remains at Holkham freshmarsh, whilst the Rough-legged Buzzard made a brief appearance at Burnham Norton.

The Glossy Ibis was still near Donna Nook, Lincolnshire, and 26 Cattle Egrets were seen. The Wilsons Snipe was seen again on Scilly, and the Red-breasted Goose was still at West Wittering, West Sussex. The Pallas's Warbler remained in Dorset and the Rose-coloured Starling in Pembrokeshire.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Friday 29th February 2008  
  With no new rarities on show it was left to long-stayers to create the headlines. The pick of the bunch was once again the adult male White-crowned Sparrow in Cley, but Wilson's Snipe on Isles of Scilly, Glossy Ibis in Lincolnshire, Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in Cornwall and Cleveland, King Eider in Devon, Lesser Scaups in Wiltshire, Warwickshire and Western Isles and a reappearance of the West Wittering Red-breasted Goose were all noteworthy.

The Pallas's Warbler remained at Bere Regis, Dorset, Yellow-browed Warblers were in Devon (2) and Cornwall, the Pembrokeshire Rose-coloured Starling was still available and a (very) early Little Ringed Plover was at Blashford Lakes HWT, Hampshire.
-  Stuart Piner, RBA
Thursday 28th February 2008  
  The adult drake King Eider returned to Uisaed Point, Argyll today. A new Cattle Egret was found in Glamorgan, with the elusive Great White Egret on the north Norfolk coast being seen briefly at Thornham. Elsewhere, at least 22 other Cattle Egrets remained, along with another two Great White Egrets.

The King Eider was still in Devon at Northam Burrows Country park, and the White-crowned Sparrow continued its long stay at Cley, Norfolk, with a Ross's Goose nearby at Holkham Freshmarsh.

Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers were seen in Cornwall and Cleveland, Lesser Scaups were seen in Wiltshire, Warwickshire and on Western Isles and the Glossy Ibis remained in Lincolnshire. In Ireland, the adult Forster's Tern was seen at Killyleigh and Galway.
-  Will Soar, RBA
Wednesday 27th February 2008  
  Both of the highlights of the day came from the Western Isles, where a White-billed Diver was located off the Isle of Lewis near Port Nis and an American Herring Gull was reported on Benbecula.

Lingering rarities included the White-crowned Sparrow still in Norfolk, Wilson's Snipe on the Isles of Scilly, American Buff-bellied Pipit in County Cork, King Eider in Devon, Ferruginous Duck in County Armagh, Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers in both Cleveland and Cornwall, Glossy Ibises in both Lancashire and Lincolnshire, Lesser Scaups in both Dumfries and Galloway and Warwickshire and single Great White Egrets in both Somerset and Wiltshire. In County Galway both of the American Herring Gulls and the Forster's Tern showed again.

Cattle Egret reports comprised 24 in Cornwall, four in Somerset, three in Hampshire, two in West Sussex and singles in both Cheshire and Dorset.
-  Chris Batty, RBA
Tuesday 26th February 2008  
  The highlight of the day was the discovery of two Penduline Tits together at Minsmere, Suffolk. In Dumfries and Galloway a Lesser Scaup was identified at Castle Loch, Lochmaben.

Lingering rarities included the White-crowned Sparrow in Norfolk, Wilson's Snipe on the Isles of Scilly, Hume’s Yellow-browed Warbler in Cleveland, Forster's Tern in County Down, Glossy Ibis in Lincolnshire, Lesser Scaup in Warwickshire, Lesser Yellowlegs in Angus, Great White Egret in Wiltshire and both King Eider and Long-billed Dowitcher in Devon.

Cattle Egret reports comprised six in Cornwall, two each in both Dorset and West Sussex and singles in Cheshire, County Cork and Devon.
-  Chris Batty, RBA